Food for the Soul

The house smells like leeks, butter, and garlic: a truly winning combination. Against my better judgment I agreed to eat potato soup [cream based of course] and lobster ravioli [with a french heavy cream sauce]. If smelling things alone could cause calorie gain [it can't right? ha;)] I would be in trouble. Of course, the atmosphere inside the house pairs well with world outside. It has been raining the majority of April. April showers bring May flowers...This weekend has been no exception. The occasional sound of thunder in the distance plays background music to what will soon be a warm meal in my stomach. It's not yet hot out, although the humidity makes it feel slightly warmer; on days like these soup is still something to be savored under a blanket...in a mug...with a good book.

Finally flowers and green, and life. Being that this is the Easter weekend I am no longer the only child in the house. Michael's come home and it's good to feel like I have siblings; no, the other two are unable to be home but I will never envy or create a one child family if I can help it. Siblings are a wonderful gift.

Last night we went to church to watch a reenactment of the Stations. My favorite thing about the church we attend here in town is the stained glass window above the altar. I find myself staring at it a lot of times; Jesus hanging his head up there on the cross with a handful of people watching, staring in grief and disbelief. 'He is gone' they must think, 'that's it, what are we to do without him?' He has died, but we know that he will rise again....tomorrow. As if it were just a story someone wrote, you assume that's the last chapter, THE END, but you realize there are still more chapters to go, and always will be if we carry our faith on.

Being that it was an evening service the natural light from outside dimmed as the minutes passed and the image of Jesus grew less and less brilliant. Tomorrow that image will simply be a reminder of what we celebrate next year. Last night however the image made me stop and think about something that I had not thought of before: in that brief moment after everything Jesus endured those days leading up to his crucifixion he had nothing left to offer, he had done his job. I could imagine a sense of relief and release in those final moments of his life. It must have felt great to know he had accomplished what he had set out to do, had done all the work of his father. I want that feeling too in my final moments, a sense of calm and peace, not resignation, but relief, maybe even joy.

To all of those celebrating: Have a very Happy Easter with your loved ones!

Vegetarians Eat At Panera

Okay, well maybe they all don't, but it's a great tag line either way.

It is one of those days. The sun is shining, the grass is green. There are buds on trees and flowers beginning to bloom. It is one of those days. And it's warm, it's finally warm. Where I want to be outside and play in the backyard on the swing set I don't have. One. Of. Those. Days.

Sophie's been scanning for squirrels a better portion of the day. Yesterday was a doozy so she was in and out of her kennel most of the day. But that's what happens when you work a weekend. I'm pretty sure she still loves me, she's laying at my side as I type, that's a good sign right?

Yes, yesterday was crazy, nonstop, and not my idea of a relaxing Saturday but sometimes there are just those days. Like I said before, today is better though, it is one of those days. It's a good feeling sort of day.

But I'm not on here to talk about the dog or the day. I'm here to talk about food. Yeah, what's new, right?

Friday night, being that it is Lent and I was 'fending for myself' I went to Panera for dinner. There is a sandwich there that I'm pretty sure could turn me on to the idea of being vegetarian. Of course, I could never actually turn vegetarian, I enjoy animal protein far too much. What I am saying is that I'm STILL thinking about this sandwich and I had it two days ago, and most times when I'm craving vegetables [yeah, I do that when I've been eating less than stellar] I think about this sandwich. And even when I'm eating really well I still think about this sandwich. It's my happy excuse to go to Panera on a Friday during Lent.

If you've never had the Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich, especially with a side of soup, you're missing out. It's this crazy good combination of peppers, feta cheese, cucumbers, lettuce, tomatoes, onions and cilantro jalapeño hummus on a chewy tomato basil bread [and yeah, I basically copied and pasted that from their website]. Okay, but seriously, you don't even miss the meat. It's so good without it. The tomatoes drip, and the bread has this incredible chew, and the hummus has this quality that manages to help keep the feta in place....or maybe it's all the stuff they manage to cram into the sandwich in general.

Anyway, I think I'm trying to make the point that if that sandwich was the only thing on the menu that I liked, I would still frequent the restaurant more often than not. Truth be told though, there isn't much on that menu that I don't salivate over. And these are a dietitian's words you're reading.

And since we're on the topic of food I should also mention for breakfast, no my mid-morning snack, I ate an entire pint of strawberries. And for my mid-afternoon snack I ate a Pay Day [which, may I begin by saying should never have been in the house] and then a bowl of roasted peppers. I'm going to say I'm having some strange cravings lately.

Hmmm....I am quirky, but at least I've sort of turned this passion into my day job.

Go. Far. Far Away.

Something about this video is romantic and adventurous. And it has nothing to do with Ford and everything to do with living life for the little things, for the open road.